Pittsburgh ? The Pittsburgh Pirates will play host to the 2006 All-Star at PNC Park just 12 years after staging the game at Three Rivers Stadium, according to sources close to the team.

Commissioner Bud Selig will make the formal announcement at a news conference today that the game July 11, 2006, will be played in Pittsburgh — the third time in 32 years the city will be the All-Star site.

Pirates managing general partner Kevin McClatchy declined Monday to confirm Pittsburgh had been chosen, but the team said it would hold a news conference today with Selig in attendance. Team sources, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, confirmed the announcement would concern the game.

Phoenix and San Francisco were also in the running for the All-Star game, but the Pirates convinced Major League Baseball the game significantly would boost attendance that has sagged since their first season in PNC Park in 2001. This year’s game was played in Houston last week.

The Pirates will join the Indians as the only teams to have served as host for five All-Star games. Cleveland was the site of the game in 1935, 1954, 1963, 1981 and 1997.

Since averaging a club-record 30,472 fans during that 100-loss season, the Pirates’ crowds have declined more than 10,000 per game to 20,034 — less than they drew during their final two seasons in Three Rivers Stadium. They currently rank 27th among the 30 teams in attendance.

PNC Park, located alongside the Allegheny River across the Roberto Clemente Bridge from downtown Pittsburgh, has been praised for its sightlines and exceptional views of the city skyline. But despite playing in one of baseball’s best and coziest venues — PNC Park’s capacity of 37,898 is smaller than any park except Fenway — a club-record run of 11 consecutive losing seasons has led to a 50-percent decline in season-ticket sales since 2001.

San Francisco would have been a popular pick for 2006, the year Barry Bonds potentially could break Hank Aaron’s career homers record.

The Pirates take the field against Montreal at PNC Park. The stadium -- pictured Monday in Pittsburgh -- will be the site of the 2006 All-Star game.